Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 Earthquake hits eastern Iran.
5.3 Earthquake hits south of Tonga.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Hurricane Guillermo is located about 1575 mi...2530 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California and about 1720 mi...2770 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...80 mph...130 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 300 degrees at 16 mph...26 km/h.
Tropical Storm 13w (Soudelor), located approximately 627 nm east of Saipan, CNMI, is tracking westward at 13 knots.
Invest 94L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Vietnam - Flooding in northern Vietnam has killed at least 17 people, with the continuing rain prompting concerns of landslides and of pollution from inundated coal mines reaching one of the country’s most famous sites of natural beauty. Heavy rain began falling in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Sunday. Fourteen people were killed in the city of Ha Long and three in the city of Cam Pha.
Heat Killing Columbia River Spawning Salmon
A summer of unusual heat in the Pacific Northwest is threatening to kill at least a quarter million sockeye salmon swimming up the Columbia River to spawn.
Large numbers of the fish have already perished due to prolonged heat above 100 degrees this summer, which have combined with low flows on the Columbia to create conditions that stress the sockeye and make them more susceptible to disease.
The unusual warmth came as the Columbia saw the third-highest number of sockeye returning from the Pacific to spawn since 1960.
“Right now it's grim for adult sockeye," said Russ Kiefer of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. "They're running out of energy reserves, and we're getting a lot of reports of fish dead and dying.”
With water temperatures in the waterway hitting the mid-70s, which is life-threatening to the fish, officials began releasing cold water from several reservoirs upstream in an attempt to prevent further fatalities.
“We’ve never had mortalities at this scale,” said Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife fisheries manager John North.
Both Oregon and Washington have halted sports fishing in areas affected by the warmth.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 120.2 degrees Fahrenheit (49.0 degrees Celsius) at Al Qaysumah, Saudi Arabia.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 100.7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 73.7 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
MERS Outbreak Over in South Korea
South Korean health officials declared an end to an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which has killed 36 people in the country and caused widespread social and economic disruption since it emerged in May.
The declaration came as U.S. researchers announced that an experimental MERS vaccine has shown promise in animal studies.
The deadly virus first appeared in Saudi Arabia and nearby countries in 2012, leaving hundreds dead and health officials scrambling to contain it.
The recent South Korean outbreak was the only one to emerge outside the Arabian Peninsula.
Officials in Seoul were initially criticized for a slow response during the early days of the outbreak.
But quarantine measures were soon introduced that confined nearly 17,000 people to their homes and kept the disease from spreading outside of medical facilities.
Botswana records another foot and mouth disease outbreak
The Ngamiland area in north-western Botswana was on Thursday put on high alert as some cattle appeared to show signs of the foot and mouth disease (FMD). Ministry of Agriculture spokesperson Jeffery Peko confirmed the suspected FMD cases, saying the movement of cloven hoofed animals and their fresh products within and out of the Ngamiland area has been suspended with immediate effect.
Botswana recently announced that it has recorded a suspected outbreak of FMD in Chobe district in northern part of the country.
France acts against olive disease outbreak in Corsica
A bacterial infection ravaging olive trees in the far south of Italy has spread to Corsica, where emergency measures are being implemented.
Xylella fastidiosa, spread by insects, was found at Propriano in southern Corsica. The bacterium can also attack citrus trees and vineyards.
France has destroyed plants around the infected bush found in Propriano.
Xylella is one of the biggest disease threats to plants worldwide, the European Commission says. There is no effective treatment for infected plants and new Commission regulations say the only solution is to destroy them and establish Xylella-free buffer zones around them.
Wildfires - California
Five hundred people north of San Francisco have been evacuated as a growing bushfire has consumed several buildings in less than 12 hours after it first ignited, fire officials said on Thursday.
The blaze, called the “Rocky Fire,” is one of many in the state and started on Wednesday in Lake County, 110 miles north of San Francisco. The blaze rapidly spread to scorch 3,000 acres by early Thursday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).
The fire produced a smoky haze visible from 80 miles away in the wine-making region of Napa, where another wildfire has burned for a week and forced 200 people to evacuate on Wednesday. Crews battling fires kept a blaze east of California’s Napa Valley from jumping any more containment lines, fire officials said.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): The expected new eruption, the third in 2015, started this morning at 09.20 local time. The eruptive fissure vent is located NE from Piton Kapor and extending towards Nez Coupé de Ste Rose. It feeds a curtain of lava fountains with associated lava flows. Access to the Enclos has been closed.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Australia.
5.4 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.
5.3 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Bio-Bio, Chile.
5.0 Earthquake hits central Turkey.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Storm Guillermo is located about 1475 mi...2370 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 15 mph...24 km/h.
Tropical Cyclone 02b (Two), located approximately 12 nm north of Chittagong, Bangladesh, is tracking at 05 knots.
Tropical Depression Eight-E is located about 1110 mi...1790 km E of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h. Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 15 mph...24 km/h.
Tropical Depression 13w (Thirteen), located approximately 414 nm north-northeast of Pohnpei, FSM, is tracking northwestward at 14 knots.
Invest 91E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.
Invest 94L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Nepal - Landslides set off by heavy rain struck several villages in Kaski, a popular tourist area in western Nepal, killing at least 24 people. At least 17 other people were missing, and the death toll could rise. Many houses were buried.
Second consecutive year of severe coral bleaching in Hawaii
Hawaii's reefs are already reeling from their worst coral bleaching event in recorded history in 2014, when record warm ocean temperatures caused 50 - 70% of the corals sampled in Northeast Oahu's Kāneʻohe Bay to bleach. When the sea surface temperature is 1°C warmer than the highest monthly mean temperature corals usually experience, coral polyps will expel the symbiotic algae that live in their tissues, exposing the white skeleton underneath, resulting in a white "bleached" appearance. Death can result if the stress is high and long-lived. In Hawaii's waters, corals cannot tolerate water temperatures above 83°F (28.3°C) for multi-week periods without suffering bleaching. Corals typically recover from mild bleaching, gradually recovering their color by repopulating their algae. However, if the bleaching is severe or prolonged, individual polyps or whole colonies will die. With Hawaii likely to undergo a second consecutive year of record warm waters and coral bleaching in 2015, widespread mortality in many of Hawaii's coral reefs is possible, particularly around the Big Island.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
Between 16 and 25 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 8 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death.
Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Reported in South Bronx, NY
The New York City Health Department is investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the South Bronx. Thirty-one cases have been reported since July 10, including two possible deaths. The Health Department is also testing water from cooling towers and other potential sources in the area to determine the source of the outbreak.
New Yorkers with respiratory symptoms, such as fever, cough, chills and muscle aches, are advised to promptly seek medical attention.
Wildfires - Spain
The Catalonia region of Spain has seen its biggest forest fire this year, with more than 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) burned in less than 24 hours. Helicopters have been used to contain the fire, which broke out on Sunday. Some 400 people were forced to leave their homes, but authorities said there had been no reports of injuries.
Wildfires - California
Fires burning in drought-parched California on Tuesday menaced thousands of structures as firefighters struggled to corral the blazes there and elsewhere in the U.S. West.
The so-called Lowell Fire north of the state capital Sacramento has injured four of the 2,277 firefighters battling it. One firefighter was hospitalized with serious burns. Roughly a third of the 2,233-acre blaze was contained as of Tuesday morning, with low humidity and high heat expected throughout the day. Roads were closed and evacuation warnings were in place around the fire, which was threatening about 1,800 structures.
To the south, a 1,739-acre fire forced the evacuation of campgrounds in the Sierra National Forest and threatened some 450 structures, including homes and vacation cabins. The so-called Willow Fire, north of the central California city of Fresno, was only 5 percent contained as of Tuesday morning.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): A new eruption might be under way at the volcano. Since last weekend, seismic activity from a source at 1-2 km depth beneath Dolomieu crater has been increasing. In addition, increased degassing and inflation of the Dolomieu crater have been detected, both likely signs of a new magma intrusion at shallow depth.
The prefecture has closed access to the Enclos. Whether an eruption will occur or not remains to be seen in the coming hours or days. If it does, it would be the third eruption of Piton de la Fournaise in 2015 after the ones in February and May.
Already on 6 July, a similar seismic swarm occurred, but was not followed by an eruption. More than 90 quakes within one hour triggered an eruption alert and the Enclos was closed to the public. The caldera was reopened (with some limitations) on 9 July.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.5 Earthquake hits southern Alaska.
5.9 Earthquake hits the Panama-Colombia border.
5.4 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.2 Earthquake hits Libertador O’Higgins, Chile.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Celebes Sea.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits Guam.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Depression Eight-E is located about 1525 mi...2450 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.
Invest 91E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.
Invest 94L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Pakistan Update - The nationwide death toll from this month's flash floods in various parts of Pakistan rose to 81 on Tuesday as floodwater inundated hundreds of villages, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless. The floods have affected 300,000 people in the two weeks since deluges hit the northern city of Chitral and the eastern Punjab province.
Bird Flu Outbreak in Germany
There has been a new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian flu in Niedersachsen in the west of Germany. The outbreak was of the H7N7 subtype of the disease, the same type as the recent outbreak in the UK.
The outbreak affected a farm holding 10,104 laying hens. 50 birds became infected with the disease and died. The remaining 10,054 birds were destroyed as a precautionary measure.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
7.0 Earthquake hits Papua, Indonesia.
One house collapsed and another was partially damaged in Kasonaweja City, not far from the epicentre, while patients were evacuated from a hospital after its walls cracked. One teenager died after falling into a river. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no threat of any tsunami.
5.1 Earthquake hits eastern Xizang, China.
5.1 Earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits the northern east Pacific rise.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Depression Eight-E is located about 1265 mi...2035 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h
Invest 91E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development
NewsBytes:
India - Vast tracts of croplands and human settlements in areas under Kandi and Jangipur subdivisions of Murshidabad district have been flooded as the rain-fed rivers in the localities are in spate. Heavy rains coupled with flows of upland streams from Jharkhand have inundated a number of lowland villages under Bahutali and Haaru Gram Panchayats of Suti area while the overflowing rivers like KanaMayurakshi and Dwarka have caused floods in the villages of Bharatpur, Barwan, Khargram blocks in Kandi Sub-division.
Wildfires - West USA
CALIFORNIA
Campgrounds were evacuated and hundreds of homes were threatened by a two-square-mile wildfire in Sierra national forest north of Fresno. It was 5% contained.
Four firefighters were injured Sunday and a fire engine was damaged in a wildfire threatening as many as 200 homes in the Sierra Nevada foothills north-east of Sacramento. The fire was 20% contained.
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
Fire crews were taking advantage of cooler, wet weather in fighting a fire in Glacier national park in Montana that has burned about five square miles on the north shore of St Mary Lake since it started 21 July. The fire was 30% contained.
WASHINGTON STATE
A wildfire that has burned nearly 10 square miles and destroyed one home in south-east Washington state is about 50% contained. It started 20 July and was human-caused.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Karymsky (Kamchatka): An ash plume from an explosion produced an ash plume that rose to 14,000 ft (4.2 km) altitude and drifted north this morning. The volcano continues to produce intermittent strombolian- to vulcanian-type explosive eruptions.
Chirinkotan (Northern Kuriles): Ash emissions were recorded on satellite imagery on 26 July, producing a plume that rose to 15,000 ft (4.5 km) altitude and drifted NW. During yesterday and today, the plume dissipated and no new emissions were detected (VAAC Tokyo).
Akan (Hokkaido): A swarm of shallow volcanic earthquakes under the Ponmachineshiri crater of Mt Meakan volcano has been occurring since yesterday. This event triggered the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) to raise the volcanic alert status to 2 (eruption alert, on a scale of 1-5) today. The swarm follows a gradual increase in seismicity under the volcano noted since April this year. JMA thinks the most likely outcome is a very small (phreatic) eruption in the near future and recommends not to approach the crater within 500 m.
Raung (East Java): The eruption, now over 4 weeks old, continues with no significant changes. Strong lava effusion inside the summit caldera is accompanied by near-constant ash emissions rising 1-2 km and drifting up to 100-200 km in mostly westerly directions.
Dukono (Halmahera): Strong ash emissions continue at the volcano. VAAC Darwin reported an ash plume extending 25 km north of the volcano yesterday.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.9 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.8 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.7 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.6 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.5 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.4 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.3 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Nias region, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Invest 90E remains an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development
NewsBytes:
Myanmar - Floods triggered by torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 10 people in Myanmar in the last 48 hours.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): During the past 2,3 days, the volcano has been relatively calm and not produced pyroclastic flows, only small rockfalls from two lava lobes, a smaller and a much larger one, overspilling to the SE and ENE, respectively Both are weakly active; the one to the ENE seems prone to potentially larger collapses, which would generate pyroclastic flows that could threaten villages to the E and ENE, in particular Tiga Serangkai village.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.0 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.
5.6 Earthquake hits the North Pacific Ocean.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits central Alaska.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Depression Halola is located 19 nm northeast of Sasebo, Japan and is tracking north-northeastward at 11 knots.
Invest 90E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development
NewsBytes:
Pakistan - At least 30 people have been killed in Chitral since Sunday, when flash floods hit the region, affecting some 300,000 people. There has been extensive damage to roads and crops.
Wildfires - USA
Firefighters took aim at an uncontained wildfire tearing through Montana's Glacier National Park during the key tourist season. Strong winds pushed the blaze through the park's conifer-topped ridges, charring more than 6 square miles, destroying a historic backcountry building and closing nearly half of a highly traveled park roadway.
The wildfire is just one of several chewing through the dry West:
Washington
A wildfire raging in southeast Washington has burned one home and more than 9 square miles, leading to evacuation orders for several dozen homes in two rural areas. Crews are working Friday to prevent the blaze from reaching a watershed that provides drinking water for the city of Walla Walla. Dozens of homes are threatened.
California
Firefighters contained enough of the fire about an hour's drive from the state's famed wine country that some residents were able to return home and a threatened highway reopened Friday. Evacuation orders were called off for roughly 50 of 200 homes as firefighters partially contained the fire, said Amy Head, state fire spokeswoman. The fire has burned more than 10½ square miles in drought-parched countryside near Lake Berryessa. Crews have partially surrounded a fire that shut down a highway linking Sacramento and Reno, Nevada, and led to a handful of evacuations. Firefighters were hopeful the highway would reopen later Friday. The blaze broke out Thursday afternoon near South Lake Tahoe and has charred more than 100 acres in heavy timber along steep canyon walls.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits offshore Tarapaca, Chile.
5.4 Earthquake hits Java, Indonesia.
5.3 Earthquake hits central Peru.
5.1 Earthquake hits Pakistan.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Atacama, Chile.
5.0 Earthquake hits southern Xinjiang, China.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Storm Halola is located about 110 nm east-northeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan and is tracking north-northwestward at 11 knots.
Tropical Depression 12w (twelve), located approximately 383 nm northeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking north-northeastward at 05 knots.
Post-Tropical Cyclone Felicia is located about 660 mi...1065 km W of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h. Present movement...NW or 305 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.
NewsBytes:
Canada - A state of emergency has been declared after a damaging hailstorm ripped through the central Saskatchewan town of Kerrobert in Canada.
Kazakhstan - Glacial melt has triggered flooding in Almaty, Kazakhstan leading to the evacuation of about 950 people. Glacial melt sent an unusually high amount of water mixed with boulders down into the town from the morainic lake Bezymyannoye at the Kargaly glacier.
China - Chinas has been beaten by unbelievable rainstorms for the last three days. The continuous rainstorms have affected 360,700 people in 14 counties, districts and cities in central China's Hubei province since Wednesday. In Wuhan, capital of Hubei, more than 10cm fell on Thursday, while outside of the city, as about 36,950 hectares of cropland had been damaged and 145 houses had collapsed. In Hunan province, the local government has relocated more than 9,000 people with rural areas being hit by rain of 25cm plus, causing chaos for 361,000 residents and damaging 19,800 hectares of farmland. Four people died and another five are missing after downpours hit Liancheng County in eastern Fujian Province early on Wednesday morning, inundating streets and cutting off power supply.
250 pilot whales killed in annual slaughter in Faroe Islands
Footage of the annual bloody slaughter of more than 200 pilot whales in the the Faroe Islands in the north Atlantic has horrified the world.
The yearly event, called the grindadráp, sees locals luring the dolphins into the shore before jumping into the water and slaughtering them.
The event took place in the Danish-owned Faroe Islands yesterday.
Locals used various weapons such as harpoons and knives to kill the dolphins across two beaches, Bøur and Torshav.
They killed as many as 250 pilot whales.
Whaling is illegal in the European Union and Denmark. Despite being subject to the same laws, Denmark protects the activity in the Faroe Islands.
Locals could be seen smiling and laughing in the bloody water.
Interesting Images:
Incredible moment antelope (Kudu) takes a leap of faith across a busy road:
Wildfires - Israel
An extensive forest fire which broke out Friday afternoon in the Beit Shemesh area poses threat to the communities of Tarum, Ta'oz and Kfar Uriya. The forest fire in Ya'ar Ha'Nasi ("President's Forest") grew at a tremendous rate due to strong winds.
A dozen firefighting planes and 40 ground crews are struggling to control the blaze. Surrounding roads have been closed.
Wildfires - Croatia
Hundreds of Croatian firefighters struggled Friday to contain raging wildfires on the Adriatic coast and islands at the height of tourist season.
Two huge fires have swept through the Peljesac peninsula this week, forcing evacuation of villages and destroying large areas of olive groves, pine forests and vineyards.
The blaze has occasionally cut off the main road and power supplies since it erupted early this week. Hot winds, often changing directions, have hindered efforts to contain the wildfires.
Winds on Friday reignited some of the blazes that firefighters had managed to curb after an all-night battle, authorities said. Fires also have swept through the islands of Korcula and Brac and on several other spots amid extremely high summer temperatures.
West Africa Bird Flu Outbreak Threatens Human Crisis
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that a highly contagious strain of avian influenza is wiping out poultry populations in farms across West Africa, and has the potential to cause a human health crisis.
The outbreak has already affected millions of birds in markets and farms in Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger and Ivory Coast, according to a statement issued by the agency.
It also cautions that the virus could spread to the human population in a region still recovering from a deadly Ebola outbreak.
“Urgent action is needed to strengthen veterinary investigation and reporting systems … to tackle the disease at the root, before there is a spillover to humans,” Juan Lubroth, head of the FAO’s animal health division, said in a statement.
The H5N1 strain of avian influenza first infected humans shortly after emerging in Hong Kong during 1997.
Migrating birds and other factors have since spread the disease across Asia and into Europe and Africa.
The virus has been responsible for the deaths of many millions of birds and several hundred humans.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): A moderately large pyroclastic flow occurred yesterday morning, reaching 3 km length on the SE side and producing a 1.5 km ash plume.
Kick 'em Jenny (West Indies, Grenada): The submarine volcano 8 km north of Grenada might be heading towards an eruption. Increasing signs of unrest have been recorded during the past 24 hours, and the Seismic Research Centre at the University of the West Indies has raised its alert level to the second highest level, "orange".
Elevated seismic activity had been noted since 11 July and a stronger seismic swarm was recorded yesterday (23 July) between 01:25 and 03:00 local time. According to a news article, more than 200 small earthquakes had been detected since 11 July and divers had observed increased degassing from the Moliniere Sculpture Park area.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Dodecanese Islands, Greece.
5.1 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.1 Earthquake hits the north Mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Cayman Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Balleny Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon Halola is located about 234 nm east-southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan and is tracking west-northwestward at 08 knots.
Tropical depression 12w (twelve), located approximately 255 nm northeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking east-southeastward at 03 knots.
Tropical Depression Felicia is located about 495 mi...795 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...NW or 310 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.
NewsBytes:
Pakistan - Torrential rain and landslides in Azad Kashmir have killed at least nine people, emergency officials said on Thursday. This year's monsoon floods in Pakistan have claimed lives of at least 22 and washed away more than 200 buildings.
Central Asia - Floods across Central Asia over this past week are highlighting the perils of failing to adopt robust water-management measures and put adequate early-warning systems in place. Tajikistan has been the worst hit, with abnormally high temperatures causing rapid snow and glacier melts. The country is 93 percent covered by high mountains, making it particularly vulnerable to landslides and flash floods. Dozens of homes have been destroyed and at least a dozen people killed.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 120.2 degrees Fahrenheit (49.0 degrees Celsius) at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 101.4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 74.1 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
‘Mutant Daisies’ Growing At Fukushima Nuclear Plant
A discovery of ‘mutant daisies’ has been made near the site of the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.
The pictures of the flowers appear to show stems and flowers connected to each other. Others appear slightly deformed, and have prompted fears that radiation is affecting the area.
Wildfires - Bulgaria
A state of emergency has been declared due to raging wildfire in the Harmanli municipality in southern Bulgaria on Thursday. The wildfire has affected Mladinovo, Dripchevo, Oryahovo and Izvorovo villages. Hundreds of firemen are working to control the blaze.
Wildfires - Calirofrnia
More than 500 firefighters and multiple helicopters and planes are battling the 6,900-acre Wragg Fire near Lake Berryessa in Napa County.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
Between 1 and 14 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 6 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.
Meningococcal disease – Niger (update)
Between 1 January and 28 June 2015, the Ministry of Public Health of Niger notified WHO of 8,500 suspected cases of meningococcal meningitis, including 573 deaths. This was the largest meningitis outbreak caused by Neisseria meningitides serogroup C in the African meningitis belt.
The number of suspected cases increased very rapidly, tripling weekly between 1 and 15 May. Thirteen districts in Niger crossed the epidemic threshold. The five districts of Niamey, Niger’s capital and largest city, reported 5,267 suspected cases and 260 deaths.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Kick ‘em Jenny (Grenada) An active underwater volcano off Grenada's northern coast called Kick 'em Jenny was rumbling Thursday and regional disaster authorities were put on alert, though they said it posed no threat of triggering a destructive tsunami. Since its discovery in the 1930s, Kick 'em Jenny has erupted beneath the surface of the Caribbean Sea at least 12 times, most recently in 2001. The volcano, which rises 1,300 meters (4,265 feet) above the seafloor on a steep slope of the Lesser Antilles ridge, hasn't caused any known deaths or injuries.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.1 Earthquake hits the central Mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.0 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon Halola is located about 413 nm east-southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan and is tracking west-northwestward at 08 knots.
Tropical depression 12w (twelve), located approximately 212 nm northeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking north-northwestward at 05 knots.
Tropical Depression Seven-E is located about 430 mi...690 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...NNW or 330 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.
NewsBytes:
Philippines - Heavy rain and floods brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) in Luzon, Philippines have claimed the lives of at least 19 people. More than 3,000 people are still living in 25 evacuation centres.
California, USA - California leaders declared a state of emergency after flash floods and mudslides damaged roads and highways in much of the state earlier this week, leading to delays, costs and uncertainties in supply chains stretching across the country.
Wildfires - Montana, USA
A fast-moving wildfire burned through nearly 1,000 acres inside a national park in Montana on Tuesday, officials said.
Within hours the inferno prompted evacuations of a park inn and campground. Officials also closed a portion of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, a nearly 50-mile roadway that runs through the park.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Chirinkotan (Northern Kuriles): Ash emissions from small explosions at the volcano were detected on satellite imagery last Monday (20 July). The ash plumes rose to estimated 12,000 ft (4 km) altitude and drifted SE.
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The volcano continues to slowly effuse viscous lava which feeds the lava dome on its summit. This activity results in numerous avalanches and pyroclastic flows. Several thousands of people continue to live in temporary shelters.
Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): Intermittent ash emissions began to occur at the volcano again since 13 July. The volcano observatory of Manizales reports increased seismic activity, related to internal fluid movements and rock fracturing processes. Ash fall occurred on 13 July in nearby villages in up to 30 km distance to the southwest (in Chinchina). On 19 July, another series of explosions produced ash plumes that rose approx. 1 km above the crater and quickly dissipated.
Cotopaxi (Ecuador): Volcanic unrest continues. Yesterday, the Geophysical Institute registered 105 episodes of volcanic tremor and 3 volcano-tectonic earthquakes. SO2 emissions remain elevated, at nearly 3000 tons per day.
Sabancaya (Peru): Light ash emissions were reported this morning, rising to 20,000 ft (6 km) altitude. Seismic activity at the volcano remains low but above background. A slight increase in quakes related to internal fluid movements (gasses, water, magma) was noted during the past week. Staff from the INGEMMET volcano observatory visited the summit area on 9 and 10 July and sampled ash that had been erupted during the recent weeks. A significant fraction of the ash was confirmed to originate from fresh ("juvenile") magma (as opposed to older weathered rock fragments), which confirms that the volcano has entered a magmatic eruptive phase.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.2 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.1 Earthquake hits northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits eastern Xizang, China.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon Halola is located about 609 nm east-southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan and is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.
Invest 99E remains an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Pakistan - At least three people have died in flash floods in Chitral, Pakistan prompting the local authority to declare flood emergency in the area. About 285,000 people have been displaced by the storms and flooding.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Republic of Korea
The mers outbreak in South Korea seems to be under control. Between 18 and 21 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of no additional cases of infection and no new deaths related to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Bird flu spreading across West Africa
A highly contagious strain of avian flu is spreading across West Africa, decimating poultry farms and stoking fears the virus will jump from birds to humans, the U.N.’s food agency warned on Monday.
Markets and farms in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Ivory Coast and Ghana have been hit with the deadly H5N1 virus over the past six months, the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.
If the virus continues to spread, it could affect more than 330 million people across West Africa, hurting food security and human health in a region still recovering from the Ebola crisis.
Cholera in Sudan - Update
The death toll from South Sudan's most recent cholera outbreak has increased to 39 with 1,212 recorded cases of the disease in the embattled African country.
Wildfires - Washington, USA
Several wildfires lit up Washington state on Tuesday, destroying at least one home and threatening dozens of others.
In eastern Washington, a brush fire burned at least one property and forced a number of homes in a rural neighborhood to evacuate The fire scorched nearly 4 square miles east of Walla Walla near Blue Creek and Klicker Mountain.
In central Washington, another brush fire near the town of George also threatened 50 homes and led to brief evacuations Monday.
Yet another brush fire about 25 miles northeast of Seattle briefly closed U.S. Highway 2 in both directions near Monroe late Monday afternoon. It is burning just west of State Route 9.
Wildfires - Bosnia
Firefighters and villagers are struggling to keep raging wildfires away from homes in southern Bosnia and on the Croatian coast as temperatures reach 42 Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit).
Since the early morning hours Tuesday, residents of Bosansko Grahovo and Bileca are fighting the flames and have requested the help of the Bosnian Army.
In Croatia, authorities have evacuated a village on the Adriatic peninsula of Peljesac where a fire advancing along a 2-kilometre front has engulfed pine forests, vineyards and several houses.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Cleveland (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): AVO detected an explosion at Cleveland Volcano in both infrasound (air pressure) and seismic data this morning at 08:17 AKDT (16:17 UTC). Satellite views are obscured by clouds at about 30,000 feet above sea level. No ash has been observed above the clouds at this time. Clouds obscure views by web camera this morning. (AVO / USGS volcano activity notice)
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits the southwest Indian ridge.
5.2 Earthquake hits eastern Xizang, China.
5.1 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.1 Earthquake hits Oklahoma, USA.
5.1 Earthquake hits southeast of Easter Island.
5.1 Earthquake hits off the coast of Maule, Chile.
5.0 Earthquake hits Myanmar.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon Halola is located about 116 nm south of Iwo To, Japan and is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.
Invest 99E remains an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Iran - Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall have claimed the lives of at least 11 people in northern Iran. Numerous building collapsed in the Alborz Province. At least nine people are missing. Moreover, high winds of up to 80 km/h caused heavy damage in Tehran and its neighbouring towns on Sunday evening.
June 2015: Earth’s Warmest June on Record
June 2015 was Earth's warmest June since global record keeping began in 1880, said NOAA's National Centres for Environmental Information (NCEI) on Monday. NASA also rated June 2015 as the warmest June on record.
A potent El Niño event in the Eastern Pacific that crossed the threshold into the "strong" category in early July continues to intensify, and strong El Niño events release a large amount of heat to the atmosphere, typically boosting global temperatures by at least 0.1°C. This extra bump in temperature, when combined with the long-term warming of the planet due to human-caused emissions of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide, makes it likely that 2015 will be Earth's second consecutive warmest year on record.. Four of the six warmest months in recorded history (for departure from average) have occurred this year, according to NOAA.
Wildfires - Turkey
Many untouched forests and wild animals have been negatively affected by wildfires across the country, while experts warned against new forest fires in Turkey’s southern and Aegean provinces.
Fires in the Lice and Kulp districts of the southeastern province of Diyarbakır burned forests on July 19 and 20, though officials said they were under control on July 20 morning. A 1200-hectare area has been burned by the fires.
Meanwhile, a fire has started in a forest in the Gülnar district of Mersin province in southern Turkey.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 Earthquake hits the southwest Indian ridge.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Depression Halola is located about 400 nm east-southeast of Iwo To, and is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.
Invest 99E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Ohio, USA - Flooding triggered by a heavy downpour in Ohio has claimed the life of a pregnant woman and two of her children when their mobile home was swept away by the floodwaters.
Arizona, USA - Torrential flash flooding has swept away homes in Arizona following heavy storms. Up to 3,000 homes and businesses were left without power after more than 50 electricity poles were knocked down.
India - A landslide on the Mumbai-Pune expressway at the Adoshi tunnel has claimed the lives of at least three people on Sunday afternoon.
Philippines - Four people were killed and thousands forced to flee their homes as floods inundated large parts of the northern Philippines.
Australia to Rescue Vanishing Animals, Birds
he Australian government has set new targets to protect and recover threatened mammals, birds and plants, and improve recovery practices under the nation’s first Threatened Species Strategy.
There is a lot that can be done, from limiting the impacts of feral cats and creating safe havens to improving habitat and intervening in emergencies. But no one can do it alone, so today’s summit brings together the people, organizations and know-how to drive change.
The first 10 mammals identified for priority action are: the numbat, mala, mountain pygmy-possum, greater bilby, golden bandicoot, brush-tailed rabbit-rat, eastern bettong, western quoll, Kangaroo Island dunnart and eastern barred bandicoot.
Two more – the leadbeater’s possum and central rock-rat – will benefit from emergency interventions.
The first 10 birds identified for priority action are: the helmeted honeyeater, hooded plover, eastern bristlebird, regent honeyeater, mallee emu-wren, plains-wanderer, night parrot, Alligator Rivers yellow chat, and Norfolk Island’s green parrot and boobook owl.
Two more – the orange-bellied parrot and western ground parrot – will benefit from emergency interventions.
The remaining eight species of mammals and eight species of birds will be identified over the next 12 months, in consultation with the community, said Hunt.
Part of the strategy is to cull domestic cats gone wild because they attack native birds and mammals. Since their arrival in Australia, feral cats have contributed to the extinction of at least 27 mammal species.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 Earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Depression Halola is located about 665 nm east-southeast of Iwo To, and is tracking west-northwestward at 06 knots.
Post Tropical Cyclone Dolores is located about 285 mi...460 km WSW of Punta Eugenia Mexico with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...NNW or 335 degrees at 16 mph...26 km/h.
Invest 99E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.
Whale Bonanza Delights San Francisco Bay Area
So many whales are frolicking in the Pacific just outside San Francisco Bay that officials are warning boats and ships to steer clear of the marine mammals.
Experts told the Marin Independent Journal that the whales are being drawn to the area outside the Golden Gate by an unusually large number of shrimplike krill, which are the staple diet of blue whales.
Humpbacks are being attracted to huge schools of anchovies.
Ocean temperatures more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit above normal have contributed to the northward migration of the whales’ food source.
Officials say they observed 115 humpback, blue and fin whales during a single one-hour survey.
Even observers along the coast of San Francisco say they have seen as many as 10 humpbacks at a time spouting and splashing just a mile offshore.
Boaters are advised to remain at least 300 feet from the marine mammals to reduce the chance of impact.
Clouds Over Southern Ocean Made by Ocean Creatures
The Southern Ocean is reckoned as the cloudiest region in our planet and it almost nearly blanketed all through the year. But it might be surprising that it is the tiny marine organisms known as Phytoplankton that live in the stormy waters of the ocean that are responsible for creating these clouds.
Measuring how the gases and particles emitted by these tiny creatures entered the atmosphere to become cloud seeds was the subject of a recent study. This study was also the first large scale correlation between cloud formation and biological activity in the Southern ocean. Establishing that link constitutes a significant first move towards understanding the role played by clouds and the tiny particles of air known as aerosols in the context of climate change and climate modelling.
In climate models, aerosols and clouds constitute two important wild cards and comprehending their impact on climate gets further complex when we consider the question of how they interact with each other. Soot is a type of aerosol that comes from human activities, but we also have other natural aerosols like sulphate, sea spray and ammonium salts in the atmosphere. All these particles form the ‘seeds’ and water vapour condenses around these to become tiny droplets and turn into clouds.
Clouds can have a key role when we consider climate – but that role is complicated. The planet tends to get cooled by the low lying clouds that functions as reflectors and bouncing the solar radiation back to space. Higher clouds on the other hand tend to trap the heat and prop up warming. Climate models in the Southern Ocean have been pretty poor in capturing the influence of the clouds by estimating less reflected radiation than what actually exists. Scientists will have to understand more about aerosols that help in formation of the clouds and how they have impacted the climate over the past 2 centuries, to improve these models. But the task gets difficult for tracking in the absence of knowledge on the number of ‘natural’ aerosols present in the atmosphere before industrialisation began.
If concentration of aerosols were higher during the preindustrial times, then the impact from human perturbations to aerosols would be smaller.
This also brings into focus the Southern Ocean. Apart from being the cloudiest place on the planet, it is also one among the cleanest and relatively unharmed by human activity. That makes it the perfect laboratory for examining the interaction between cloud and aerosols.
Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China
On 16 July 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 5 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 3 deaths.
Dengue Fever in American Samoa
The American Samoa health department has declared that the number of dengue fever infections has reached a level where it is considered to be a epidemic.
The number of suspected dengue cases has reached 122 in the past six weeks. Three deaths have been reported. The Auckland Regional Public Health Service reports 13 confirmed cases of DENV-3 infection.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
7.3 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.
5.7 Earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.1 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Norwegian Sea.
Two 5.0 Earthquakes hit the Santa Cruz Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits eastern Xizang, China.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Depression 11w (Nangka), located approximately 289 nm west-southwest of Misawa, Japan, is tracking north-northeastward at 10 knots.
Tropical Storm Nangka kills 2, injures 38 in Japan — 550,000 told to flee.
Tropical Depression Halola is located about 03 nm east-southeast of Iwo To, and is tracking west-southwestward at 06 knots.
Tropical Storm Dolores is located about 380 mi...610 km WSW of Cabo San Lazaro Mexico with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.
Post-Tropical Cyclone Enrique is located about 1765 mi...2840 km W of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...SW or 225 degrees at 2 mph...4 km/h.
Invest 93L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.
Invest 99E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Hertfordshire, England - Flash floods hit Hertfordshire homes after overnight storms. Roads were closed and firefighters were called to more than 141 incidents after heavy rain hit Hertfordshire.
Prediction of Mini Ice Age for the 2030s Challenged
Climate experts slammed a highly publicised report by a U.K. math professor that suggests Earth will experience a “mini ice age” during the 2030s due to an astounding 60 percent decline in solar activity.
Valentina Zharkova’s study, published last year in the The Astrophysical Journal and highlighted after a recent science conference in Wales, says the magnetic waves that cause sunspots exist in two divergent, and competing frequencies.
Zharkova wrote that the frequencies will cancel each other out within 15 years, leading to a significant reduction in the level of solar radiation that reaches the Earth.
She argues that the quieter sun is on track to cause a drop in global temperatures, similar to a mini ice age from 1645 to 1715 known as the Maunder Minimum.
Climate experts quickly pointed out that the brief cooling was pretty much limited to Europe and to a large extent due to a surge in volcanic eruptions, which caused ash and gas to filter the sun’s rays.
“Any reduction in global mean near-surface temperature due to a future decline in solar activity is likely to be a small fraction of projected anthropogenic (manmade) warming,” scientists wrote in a study published June 23 in the journal Nature.
"The effect is a drop in the bucket, a barely detectable blip, on the overall warming trajectory we can expect over the next several decades from greenhouse warming," Michael Mann, professor of meteorology at Pennsylvania State University, told The Washington Post.
Zharkova is openly skeptical that human activity is the driving force behind the recent warming of the planet.
Seabird Numbers Have Plunged Worldwide Since 1950
Scientists say there has been a 70 percent drop in the populations of seabirds they have monitored around the world over the past 60 years, equivalent to the loss of about 230 million birds.
Writing in the journal PLOS ONE, the researchers from the University of British Columbia say that pollution, climate change, entanglement in fishing gear and the overfishing of species the birds rely on to eat are among the most important factors behind the sharp decline.
“Seabirds are particularly good indicators of the health of marine ecosystems,” said co-author Michelle Paleczny, in a statement.
”When we see this magnitude of seabird decline, we can see there is something wrong with marine ecosystems.”
The study is said to be the first to estimate the overall change in global seabird populations.
Wildfires - Greece
Greek firefighters have battled large brush and forest fires on the outskirts of Athens and in the southern Peloponnese region, where flames forced the evacuation of at least three villages and two summer camps.
Strong winds fanned the forest fire in the Lakonia area, on the tip of the Peloponnese, on Friday. Attempts by a coastguard vessel and other boats to rescue scores of people trapped on a beach were hampered by rough seas.
Fires also broke out in Koropi, near Athens; at Malakasa, north of the capital; on the island of Evia; and in Argolida in southern Greece.
Wildfires - California, USA
A fast-moving brush fire in the Los Angeles area has shut down a major freeway and set cars on fire. The flames, swept by desert winds, burned on both sides of Interstate 15, the main connecting road between southern California and Las Vegas. Dozens of vehicles were abandoned as drivers ran to safety.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.4 Earthquake hits Barbados in the Windward Islands.
5.7 Earthquake hits offshore Maule, Chile.
5.2 Earthquake hits Barbados in the Windward Islands.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.
5.2 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.1 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits south of the Mariana Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Storm 11w (Nangka), located approximately 143 nm northeast of Iwakuni, Japan, is tracking northward at 11 knots.
Tropical Storm Halola is located about 528 nm north of Ujelang, and is tracking westward at 13 knots.
Hurricane Dolores is located about 305 mi...490 km WSW of Cabo San Lucas Mexico with maximum sustained winds...80 mph...130 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.
Tropical Storm Enrique is located about 1730 mi...2785 km W of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 6 mph...9 km/h.
Invest 93L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Guyana - Heavy rainfall has triggered severe flooding in Guyana, a country on South America’s North Atlantic coast. President David Granger has called an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss measures to drain the capital and other areas. More than 10 inches of rainfall was recorded in Georgetown in less than 24 hours.
Illinois, USA - Tornado in far Western Illinois has caused severe damage Thursday evening.
'Antarctic Vortex' Chills New Zealand and Australia
Southeastern Australia and much of New Zealand were chilled by the coldest midwinter Antarctic blast in five years as press reports warned of even more biting cold and snow ahead from the “Antarctic vortex.”
Snow fell at low elevations across many parts of Australia’s Victoria and New South Wales states, while icy conditions in New Zealand downed power lines and forced road closures.
But the shift in Southern Hemisphere weather patterns also brought Melbourne its wettest July day since 1990.
About 30 areas across New Zealand experienced either their lowest daily maximum temperature or lowest daily minimum temperature ever for July.
Snowfalls were welcomed by ski resort operators, even though some tourists had trouble navigating the icy conditions on the way to the slopes.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 118.6 degrees Fahrenheit (48.1 degrees Celsius) at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 109.7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 78.7 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
Wildfires - Siberia
In the past 24 hours, 46 forest fires were being struggled with on the Far Eastern territory; firefighter units managed to put out 8 of them. Regional forestry services — 696 people and 61 units of equipment, as well as 23 air units, including 13 helicopters, continue to tackle 38 fires," the forestry department said in a Friday statement.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Gamalama (Halmahera): A phreatic explosion occurred yesterday (16 July) at 10 am local time, producing an ash plume that rose 1500 m. Ternate's airport was temporarily closed following the eruption. The eruption had been preceded by increasing seismic activity since late June. The alert level of the volcano remains at 2 (waspada) on a scale of 1-4, but VAAC Darwin raised the aviation color code to "orange". An exclusion zone of 1.5 km around the summit is in place.
Colima (Western Mexico): Activity remains exclusively effusive, and overall seems to be decreasing. The lava flow on the southern flank continues to advance slowly, approx. 200 meters per day. Rockfalls from other areas of the crater have been more rare than during the previous day. During an overflight this morning, we could see that last week's lava dome no longer exists and that the southern rim of the crater is breached, through where the lava flow emerging from a vent in the crater exits onto the steep flank. Vigorous degassing creates a steam plume rising up to approx. 1 km from the crater.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 Earthquake hits Barbados in the Windward Islands.
5.4 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.3 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.
5.3 Earthquake hits near the coast of central Peru.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Mozambique Channel.
5.0 Earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Pagan region in the North Mariana Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Post tropical Cyclone Claudette is located about 290 mi...470 km E of Halifax Nova Scotia with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...NE or 45 degrees at 21 mph...33 km/h.
Typhoon 11w (Nangka), located approximately 188 nm southeast of Iwakuni, Japan, is tracking northward at 09 knots.
Typhoon Halola is located about 52 nm west-southwest of Wake Island, and is tracking west-northwestward at 06 knots.
Hurricane Dolores is located about 255 mi...410 km SSW of Cabo San Lucas Mexico with maximum sustained winds...115 mph...185 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 300 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.
Tropical Storm Enrique is located about 1620 mi...2605 km W of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.
Palawan turtles rescued from extinction
Thousands of rare forest turtles have been rescued from horrifying conditions of captivity in Palawan, saving the critically endangered animals from possible extinction, wildlife experts said Wednesday.
More than 4,000 live freshwater turtles and 90 dead ones were found in a pond inside a remote warehouse in Palawan four weeks ago in one of the country’s biggest wildlife rescues, they said.
They included 3,831 Palawan forest turtles, a critically endangered species found only on the north of Palawan, as well as 160 Asian leaf turtles and 25 Southeast Asian box turtles.
The reptiles had apparently been stored without food and water for up to six months, and veterinarians worked round the clock to save the animals, she said in a statement.
The turtles were apparently destined for pet and food markets in Hong Kong and China, the statement said.
“This number equalled the estimated remaining population of Palawan forest turtle in the wild, hence bringing the species to the brink of extinction,” it added.
Many of the rescued turtles suffered from a variety of ailments and injuries, and some 360 others have since died. About 230 are still being treated, while the rest were released back into the wild, Schoppe said.
American Foulbrood Disease in Perthshire
An outbreak of American foulbrood disease has been detected at an apiary near Alyth in Perthshire.
The infected hives have been destroyed, as there is no permitted treatment for the disease in the UK. Beekeepers have been urged to be vigilant for signs of the disease.
There are no risks to public health or the safety of honey from the disease but the movement of bees and related equipment in and out of the affected apiary is under strict control by Scottish government bee inspectors.
American foulbrood is a notifiable disease capable of wiping out whole colonies and any outbreaks must be reported. Classic signs of the disease include sunken cappings on cells in hives, which when opened reveal dead larvae with a caramel-like consistency.
American Foulbrood Disease in Perthshire
An outbreak of American foulbrood disease has been detected at an apiary near Alyth in Perthshire.
The infected hives have been destroyed, as there is no permitted treatment for the disease in the UK. Beekeepers have been urged to be vigilant for signs of the disease.
There are no risks to public health or the safety of honey from the disease but the movement of bees and related equipment in and out of the affected apiary is under strict control by Scottish government bee inspectors.
American foulbrood is a notifiable disease capable of wiping out whole colonies and any outbreaks must be reported. Classic signs of the disease include sunken cappings on cells in hives, which when opened reveal dead larvae with a caramel-like consistency.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Colima (Western Mexico): Activity at the volcano has been relatively calm. No more significant explosions nor pyroclastic flows were observed during the past 24 hours, but the lava flow on the southern side continues to advance slowly, accompanied by occasional smaller and larger incandescent rockfalls. Constant glow is seen from the crater, where a lava dome continues to feed the southern lava flow. Occasional rockfalls occur from other areas of the SW and W crater rim as well.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits Pakistan.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Bougainville Region, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Post tropical Cyclone Claudette is located about 290 mi...470 km E of Halifax Nova Scotia
with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...NE or 45 degrees at 21 mph...33 km/h.
Typhoon 11w (Nangka), located approximately 455 nm south-southeast of Iwakuni, Japan, is tracking north-bnorthwestward at 10 knots.
Typhoon Halola is located about 222 nm east-southeast of Wake Island, and is tracking west-northwestward at 13 knots.
Hurricane Dolores is located about 320 mi...510 km S of Cabo San Lucas Mexico with maximum sustained winds...130 mph...215 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.
Tropical Storm Enrique is located about 1460 mi...2345 km W of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.
NewsBytes:
Tennessee, USA - The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down west of Cookeville. At least 15 houses have been damaged by the tornado. No injuries have been reported.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Republic of Korea
Between 11 and 14 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 1 additional death related to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) but no new cases of infection.
To date, a total of 186 MERS-CoV cases, including 36 deaths, have been reported.
Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China
On 11 July 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H5N6) virus.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.2 Earthquake hits the central east Pacific rise.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Gulf of Aden.
5.0 Earthquake hits Metropolitan, Chile.
5.0 Earthquake hits south of Java.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Storm Claudette is located about 310 mi...500 km S of Halifax Nova Scotia with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...NE or 50 degrees at 20 mph...31 km/h.
Typhoon 11w (Nangka), located approximately 637 nm south-southeast of Iwakuni, Japan, is tracking northward at 07 knots.
Typhoon Halola is located about 413 nm east-southeast of Wake Island, and is tracking northwestward at 14 knots.
Hurricane Dolores is located about 245 mi...395 km SSW of Cabo Corrientes Mexico with maximum sustained winds...80 mph...130 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 6 mph...9 km/h.
Tropical Storm Enrique is located about 1315 mi...2115 km W of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...NW or 305 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.
NewsBytes:
Kentucky, USA - Heavy storms overnight Saturday into Sunday morning left cars stranded, homes flooded and streets impassable in Kentucky.
Ohio, USA - Flash floods in central Ohio from heavy rains close roads and flood a number of homes.
Diphtheria - South Africa
The outbreak of diphtheria in KwaZulu-Natal, which has claimed the lives of four people, appears to be under control, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). i5 cases of diphtheria were identified by public health services in KZN, the majority of which are children under the age of 15.
Wildfires - North America
Usually the northern portion of North America is thought of as a cold, rainy, snowy tundra of a place. but lately, thing s up north have been getting uncomfortably hot. Right now, firefighters in Alaska, Washington, and Canada are fighting huge wildfires raging across the continent.
So far, over 11 million acres have burned in Canada and Alaska, and those numbers are still going up. That is am area three times larger than Connecticut.
Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Saskatchewan, and smoke from the fires spread south into the United States, where it could be seen across the country from Colorado to Boston, producing some of those beautiful sunsets you might have noticed last week. The plumes of smoke from the fires are easily visible from space.
A spate of wildfires is scorching parts of Washington state, devouring more than 16,000 acres. In at least one case, strong winds have forced multiple lighting fires to morph into one. The Rimrock/Wagon Road fire in central Washington has torched more than 10,000 acres and was 20% contained as of Monday evening.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.9 Earthquake hits the central east Pacific rise.
5.4 Earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.
5.2 Earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Scotia Sea.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Depression 09w (Chan-Hom), located approximately 78 nm northwest of Inchon, South Korea, is tracking north-northeastward at 17 knots.
Typhoon 11w (Nangka), located approximately 347 nm southwest of Iwo To, is tracking northward at 09 knots.
Tropical Storm Halola is located about 780 nm east-southeast of Wake Island, and is tracking northwestward at 07 knots.
Tropical Storm Dolores is located about 170 mi...275 km SSW of Manzanillo Mexico with maximum sustained winds...65 mph...100 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.
Tropical Storm Enrique is location about 1200 mi...1930 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...NW or 320 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.
Tropical Depression Lune is located about 570 mi...915 km SSW of Lihue Hawaii and about 475 mi...760 km ESE of Johnston Island with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h, Present movement...W or 265 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.
Invest 97E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific which has the potential for tropical development.
Invest 92L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic which has the potential for tropical development.
Liberia's 'Planet of the Apes' chimps facing starvation
A speedboat laden with fruit approaches and four chimpanzees come bounding over from the dense forest, screeching excitedly as volunteers throw them pineapple and mango chunks.
The apes are part of a colony of former research lab captives enjoying retirement uncaged on an atoll deep in the jungle of southern Liberia, known as Monkey Island.
The only significant inhabitants of the six islets, the chimps have been living an idyllic existence, fed by human volunteers on their very own 'Planet of the Apes' -- a nickname given to the archipelago by local media.
But the colony of 66 chimps has been at the centre of an international storm since the New York-based blood bank funding it announced in March it was stopping the cash.
The New York Blood Centre (NYBC), which carried out about 30 years of biomedical research on the animals, had publicly committed to their lifelong care after they were retired in 2005.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is supporting the colony through emergency fundraising as the Liberian government and the blood bank lock horns over who should be responsible for their care.
Ebola - West Africa Update
Africa's Ebola outbreak has not yet run its course and around 30 people are still getting infected each week, the United Nations' special envoy for the deadly disease, David Nabarro, said on Monday. Under normal circumstances, such an infection rate would be considered "a major, major outbreak," he said.
The worst recorded outbreak of Ebola has already killed more than 11,200 people across West Africa.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits north of Halmahera, Indonesia.
5.3 Earthquake hits east of the Kuril Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical Storm 09w (Chan-Hom), located approximately 136 nm west-southwest of Kunsan AB, is tracking north-northeast at 18 knots.
Typhoon 11w (Nangka), located approximately 428 nm south-southwest of Iwo To, is tracking west-northwestward at 02 knots.
Tropical Storm Halola is located about 1115 mi...1790 km se of Wake Island and about 675 mi...1085 km WSW of Johnston Island with maximum sustained winds...60 mph...95 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 300 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.
Tropical Storm Dolores is located about 180 mi...285 km SSW of Acapulco Mexico and about 215 mi...350 km S of Zihuatanejo Mexico with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 300 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.
Tropical Storm Lune is located about 455 mi...735 km S of Lihue Hawaii and about 645 mi...1035 km E of Johnston Island with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.
Invest 97E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific which has the potential for tropical development.
Invest 92L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic which has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
India - At least 14 villages in the districts of Sundergarh and Jharsuguda were inundated by floods on Saturday due to depression-induced heavy rainfall. The rain also caused landslides and destroyed crops on farmland in the area.
Syphilis in Northern Territory, Australia
The NT's Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said there had been 134 reported cases of the sexually transmitted disease in the Central Australia, Barkly and Katherine regions since July last year.
Children as young as 12 are testing positive for syphilis in an outbreak of the disease affecting young Indigenous people in the Northern Territory. The majority of the notified cases are in Indigenous people aged 15 to 19.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Colima (Mexico): Colima volcano in western Mexico has erupted, spewing ash more than 4 miles into the air, prompting authorities to close the airport in the state capital of Colima and evacuating several small communities at risk. Activity at Colima began Thursday and continued Friday morning.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 Earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon 09w (Chan-Hom), located approximately 68 nm of Taipei, Taiwan, is tracking north-northwestward at 10 knots.
Almost one million people have been evacuated from coastal areas in anticipation of the typhoon carrying wind speeds of 173km/h (107mph). Chan-hom's path is expected to take it south of Shanghai later on Saturday. The storm left five people dead in the Philippines earlier in the week. It also hit Taiwan and Japan, uprooting trees and injuring several people.
Typhoon 11w (Nangka), located approximately 366 nm west of Agrihan, is tracking westward at 07 knots.
Tropical Depression Ela is located about 470 mi...760 km ENE of Hilo Hawaii and about 620 mi...995 km E of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.
Tropical Storm Halola is located about about 510 mi...820 km SW of Johnston Island and
about 1345 mi...2160 km E of Wake Island with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.
Tropical Depression Two-C is located about 555 mi...890 km SSE of Honolulu Hawaii and about 925 mi...1490 km ESE of Johnston Island with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...NW or 315 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.
Invest 97E and 98E are areas of disturbed weather in the East Pacific which have the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Hungary - A severe storm in Hungary has claimed the life of one person and injured 29 others. The heavy storm uprooted trees, broke electric lines and damaged roofs.
India - Three members of a family were killed after incessant rain in Jammu in the early hours of Friday caused their vehicle to skid into a nullah. The rain also triggered flash floods in many areas of the state. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force evacuated 28 BSF personnel marooned in flood waters near the international border in Ramgarh sector. The rains also triggered landslides that led to a blockade on the 300-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway at Gangroo near Ramsu.
Missouri, USA - Heavy rain recently pushed waterways in southwest Missouri out of their banks, briefly forcing scores of residents from their homes.
Birds Suddenly Vanish From Florida Key Refuge
Florida wildlife experts are baffled at the sudden disappearance of thousands of nesting birds on a 150-acre mangrove key along the state’s Gulf Coast north of Tampa Bay.
What used to be the region’s largest bird colony on Seahorse Key was typically alive at this time of year with a constant din of pelicans, blue herons, roseate spoonbills and other birds.
But all of them abandoned their nests in May, leaving the island silent and littered with broken eggs.
“It’s not uncommon for birds to abandon nests,” said Peter Frederick, a University of Florida wildlife biologist, during an interview with The Associated Press.
“But, in this case, what’s puzzling is that all of the species did it all at once.”
A small number of the birds appear to have flown to a nearby island.
The exodus could have a significant impact on other wildlife that rely on the birds to survive.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - Update
On 18 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Thailand notified WHO of the country’s first confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Between 8 and 10 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 2 additional deaths but no new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
On 6 July 2015, the IHR National Focal Point of the Philippines notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Bird Flu in UK
Tens of thousands of chickens are being slaughtered on a poultry farm after a suspected bird flu outbreak. A control zone has also been set up 10km around a Lancashire farm to prevent any risk of the disease spreading but up to 170,000 laying hens are expected to be humanely culled as a precautionary measure.
Scientists have yet to discover what strain of flu is involved. Some strains of avian influenza, particularly the H5N1 form, are known to have jumped the species barrier and resulted in more than 300 human deaths worldwide.
But advice from Public Health England is that the risk to public health is "very low", while the Food Standards Agency says there are no food safety threats for consumers.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Activity at the volcano has been comparably low. On average, 2-3 smaller pyroclastic flows per day have been occurring.
Sangeang Api (Indonesia): The volcano continues to erupt. On Wednesday (8 July), an explosion generated an ash plume that rose to 9,000 ft (2.7 km) altitude and drifted 35 km to the south. When flying past the volcano during our recent Batu Tara expedition, we could see a dense gas plume drifting from its summit crater.
Sirung (Pantar Island, Indonesia ): Darwin VAAC raised the aviation alert level to orange, after a plume of steam and possible light ash emissions were seen on satellite images drifting SW from the volcano last Tuesday. Local observers reported a thick steam plume rising approx. 500 m from the volcano, but the volcano observatory had no particular indications (such as increased earthquakes, sulfur smell, rumblings) of a new eruptive phase. The last confirmed activity at the volcano was likely a (single) phreatic explosion in May 2012.
Dukono (Halmahera): The volcano continues to erupt dense, but low level ash plumes that often can be detected on satellite imagery drifting 30-50 km NE.
Sabancaya (Peru): Since mid June, an increase in internal activity has been recorded at the volcano. The Geophysical Institute of Peru reported a swarm of shallow earthquakes in an area at 6 km depth approx. 7 km north of the volcano's summit. In addition, increased degassing has been observed. Both are likely signs of a probable magmatic intrusion. During the first week of July, activity decreased a bit, but remained significant. IGP does not expect a large scale eruption in the near future, but warns that sudden explosions could occur at the crater. Long-period seismicity (fluid movements) decreased to averaged of 72 events / day, while shallow rock-fracturing quakes remained frequent with an average of 9 per day.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.8 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
No tsunami warning was issued.
5.9 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.4 Earthquake hits New Britain, papua New Guinea.
5.3 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits offshore El Salvador.
5.0 Earthquake hits central Peru.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon 09w (Chan-Hom), located approximately 664 nm south of Yongsan Ain, is tracking northwestward at 12 knots.
Chan-Hom is expected to hit China with strong winds, heavy rain and a strong storm surge.
Tropical storm 10w (Linfa), located approximately 78 nm northwest of Hong Kong, is tracking westward at 10 knots.
Typhoon 11w (Nangka), located approximately 386 nm south of Iwo To, is tracking westward at 07 knots.
Tropical Depression Ela is located about 470 mi...760 km ENE of Hilo Hawaii and about 620 mi...995 km E of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.
Tropical Depression One-C is located about 375 mi...605 km SSW of Johnston Island and about 1090 mi...1750 km SW of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.
Tropical Depression Two-C is located about 1080 mi...1740 km ESE of Johnston Island and about 755 mi...1210 km SSE of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 6 mph...9 km/h,
Invest 97E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific which has the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Italy - A tornado has claimed the life of one person and injured at least thirty people in Venice, Italy Wednesday night. The tornado hit Dolo, between Venice and Padua on the Riviera della Brenta. The storm damaged the rooftops of at least 50 buildings.
Iceland Approves Killing of 383 Whales in New Hunt
Despite a sharp drop in the demand for whale meat in Japan and Iceland during recent years, Iceland launched its 2015 whaling season with the country’s fisheries ministry issuing a quota of 154 fin whales and 229 minke whales.
A shipment of whale meat, illegally caught in earlier hunts in violation of the International Whaling Commission’s moratorium on commercial whaling, is now en route from Iceland to Japan across Russia’s Arctic coastline.
A group of environmentalists has petitioned Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking him to block the ship’s voyage.
The group Sea Shepherd says the Winter Bay’s illegal cargo “could not be sent via the Panama or Suez canal, and the ship could not stop in any European, North American, South American or African ports.”
Earth Is Losing Its Bumblebees
Climate change is causing wild bumblebees to disappear from large swaths of their historical range, which could spell disaster for pollinating crops in Europe and North America, new research suggests.
As global temperatures have risen, bumblebees have disappeared from the warmest regions they occupy, but have not spread northward to take advantage of new habitat.
Honeybees have made headlines in recent years because their numbers are plummeting in a mysterious process called colony collapse disorder. Scientists have proposed a range of contributing factors, from overuse of neonicotinoid pesticides that disorient the buzzing insects to the rise of bee parasites.
But bumblebees are the real superstars of the pollinating world. Unlike almost every other bee species, bumblebees are out in the fields, sipping nectar and pollinating plants from spring to late fall, said study co-author Laurence Packer, a biologist at York University in Toronto.
Most other bee species pollinate just a handful of plants. What's more, bumblebees have unique moves, such as the ability to "buzz pollinate" tricky flowers like tomatoes, said study co-author Alana Pindar, a biologist at the University of Ottawa.
Yet despite warming in northern latitudes, bumblebees haven't figured out a way to take advantage of the now less-frigid northern climes. The study, which was published in the journal Science, did not show any correlation between land-use practices or pesticide use and bumblebee populations.
Bees are dying out in the southern end of their range because of the rise of extreme heat waves.
But it's not clear why they haven't flown north to make up lost ground. Many stars need to align, from just the right flowers to the right winter shelter, for queens to produce new bees for the next season; so perhaps they simply can't reproduce fast enough for new colonies to take root, said study co-author, Sheila Coila from Wildlife Preservation Canada.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 119.5 degrees Fahrenheit (48.6 degrees Celsius) at Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 106.1 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 76.7 degrees Celsius) at the U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Raung (East Java): The eruption inside the summit caldera continues with intense strombolian activity and the effusion of an intra-crater lava flow. Ash emissions have been intense enough to produce a plume that rose to 17,000 ft (5 km) altitude and drifted more than 150 km to the SE. Several regional airports including Denpasar (DPS) on Bali have been closed. Recent reports show that a new cone has been built inside the crater.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 Earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon 09w (Chan-Hom), located approximately 197 nm south-southeast of Kadena AB, is tracking northwestward at 13 knots.
Tropical storm 10w (Linfa), located approximately 85 nm east-northeast of Hong Kong, is tracking westward at 10 knots.
Typhoon 11w (Nangka), located approximately 144 nm north of Saipan, is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.
Tropical Storm Ela is located about 650 mi...1050 km E of Hilo Hawaii and about 840 mi...1350 km E of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...NW or 320 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.
Invest 91C and 92C are areas of disturbed weather in the East Pacific which have the potential for tropical development.
NewsBytes:
Afghanistan - Flash flood in northeastern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan has claimed the life of one person and damaged more than 80 houses.
Venezuela - Flood waters up to 10 feet high have receded to at least three feet in the town of Guasdualito, Venezuela, allowing for recovery and aid efforts to help about 9,000 affected families. There is no potable water or electricity and means of communication and access to food is limited in Guasdualito. The town in Venezuela's Apure state has been under state of emergency because of heavy rainfall last week that resulted in floods. The floods have affected about 200,000 hectares of productive agricultural land. The neighboring states of Mérida and Táchira have been alerted about possible flooding due to persistent heavy rains.
